Lomelo Fights Sunrise Changes With Rally, Lawsuit

June 4, 1985|By Buddy Nevins and Jay Gayoso, Staff Writers

Suspended Sunrise Mayor John Lomelo took aim at regaining his clout Monday, campaigning against government changes made in his seven-month absence and filing suit to stop a city referendum that seeks to limit mayoral powers.

``I`ll be back and I don`t like what`s going on,`` said Lomelo, who tried to rally the support of about 250 residents Monday night at the Sunrise Democratic Club.

In the suit filed in Broward Circuit Court, Lomelo charged that the June 25 balloting was not properly published by the city and was discussed privately by three City Council members and acting Mayor Bob Butterworth in violation of the Florida Sunshine Law.

``It`s a smoke screen,`` Butterworth said. ``John (Lomelo) is trying to make it seem like there was impropriety to get voters off the real charter issues.``

Council member Bernard Weiselberg, Lomelo`s only supporter on the five-member council, also filed a complaint Monday with the Broward State Attorney`s Office asking for an investigation of the alleged Sunshine Law violation.

Weiselberg and Lomelo contend a decision not to republish the ballot, after an error was discovered in a charter amendment, was discussed last Thursday by council members Lawrence Hoffman, Bill Colon, Michael Stern and Butterworth.

The referendum was engineered by an anti-Lomelo council majority and Butterworth, who was appointed interim mayor by the governor when Lomelo was suspended in November after being indicted on federal corruption charges. Lomelo`s trial is pending.

The suit also claims that the election questions were not published in a newspaper five weeks before the referendum, as required by law. Publication actually occurred four weeks and six days prior to the scheduled voting, according to the suit.

Lomelo has twice debated Stern on the proposed charter changes before city groups and plans to continue campaigning against the changes if the lawsuit fails.

If the referendum questions are approved, the City Council would win control over employee salaries, the hiring and firing of key officials such as the police chief, and the mayor`s salary. The Sunrise city charter now assigns those powers to the mayor.